Wedding pictures at the Colosseum
by joiwatani
While we were going around the colosseum, we were fortunate to witness a newly wed couple taking their picture at the colosseum.
The couple are Asians and are surrounded by their families and friends. There were loud popping that caught my attention and when I looked at where the people were going, there were this bride in her white wedding gown taking picture with her new husband in tuxedo. They were actually popping confettis and the tiny rainbow-colored confettis flew on the air and dropped slowly on the cobbled stones.
The view at the colosseum was awe
Pasquino - the first talking statue of Rome
by icunme
In their dual roles as both Pope and King, they were exposed to much criticism. This criticism was soon voiced by the Romans through very short compositions in verse ridiculing their behaviour and opposing their policies.
Nicholas V (1447-55) was one of the first popes whose action, the bloody repression of a conspiracy, was sharply criticized in a short poem.
Da quando è Niccolò papa e assassino,
abbonda a Roma il sangue e scarso è il vino.
Since Nicholas became pope and murderer,
blood is abundant in Rome while there is lack of wine.
The anonymous authors of the poems were often very close to the pope and had direct knowledge of confidential information.
In 1501 Cardinal Oliviero Carafa erected a small square near Piazza Navona and placed the torso of a statue representing Menelaus with the body of Patroclus. Each year on April 25 the Cardinal chaired a sort of Latin literary competition where poems were posted on the statue. Occasionally this happened outside the competition period as well. In this way Pasquino (the name given to the statue) became the first talking statue of Rome and it is still used from time to time for posting messages and claims. The little square is named after him Piazza di Pasquino and very fittingly the word "pasquinata" (pasquinade) is the word used for a short satire exhibited in a public place.
Pasquino soon became very popular and especially during the conclaves every night new gossips were posted to influence the election of the new pope. Adrianus VI (1522-23) considered throwing Pasquino into the Tiber and other popes had similar thoughts, but they feared to fall into ridicule by punishing a statue. Severe laws however were issued to stop the practice and Pasquino was put under surveillance. This led to the undesired result of multiplying the talking statues of Rome. (see tip re Marforio)
Green Line Tours.
by Pod
These are buses that look like trams. You can get info about there tours from your hotel or the Tourist infomation.
Head Office & Incoming Department:
Via del Viminale, 38 00185 Rome
Phone: +39 06 4620651, +39 06 4828647, +39 06 48772253
Fax: +39 06 47823335
E-mail: info@greenlinetours.com or incoming@greenlinetours.com.
Our favorite gelato place
by karenincalifornia about Marriotti
Our favorite gelato place was Mariotti, located just off the north end of Piazza Novona. They have more than 31 flavors -- possibly 91 -- and they were all so good and creamy!
We made sure we walked past here every day. In fact, by end of our stay, we were walking by here 3 times a day, and yes, on one of my days in Rome, I got gelato at Mariotti 3 times. Do not order your gelato and take your gelato with you to the tables outside Marriotti. That is not permitted! (What was I thinking when I tried this??) You can sit at the table and wait to be waited on and eat your gelato served to you by the waitress at the table, but you cannot order it at the counter, and take it to the outdoor tables.
Roman protocol...
Dissecting Rome
by mccalpin
If you are coming to Rome for the first time, you have to realize that you will never see all of Rome in a few days...or week...or month...so what can you do?
Well, one solution is to realize that as an experienced traveler (or soon-to-be), you will be coming to Rome more than once. In that case, it would be sensible to pick a theme for Rome. For example, you may want to visit religious Rome - center of the Roman Catholic Church. You can see St. Peter's, the Vatican Museums, St. John Lateran, Santa Maria Maggiore, St. Paul outside the Walls - umpty-bumpty places.
Or you might choose ancient Rome - the Roman Forum, the Colliseum, the Pantheon, the Circus Maximus, the Palatine Hill, the Museum of the City of Rome in EUR.
Or you might choose to see modern Rome - Piazza di Spagna, shopping all along the Via del Corso, Via Veneto, Piazza Navona.
Or...well, you get the idea. Don't kill yourself seeing Rome for the first time - in the words of the Terminator, tell yourself, "I'll be back."
Bill
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Interior of Pantheon
sign on the street
St. Peter's Basilica
Caprese con prusciuto crudo
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